Login
Raw materials/Variety/Race
Kona Coffee is an arabica coffee cultivated exclusively in a defined terroir in the Kona district on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Method of working/Cultivation/Breeding
Normally, flowering begins in February, with dense clusters of small white blossoms. By August, the coffee berries begin to ripen and turn red. At higher elevations, the harvest may continue until January. After handpicking, the berries, called "cherry", must be milled to remove the skins and sweet pulp that surround the coffee grains. The fruit pulp that adheres to the grains is loosened by overnight fermentation and washed away. Traditionally, the washed coffee grains are then dried in the sun for 7 to 14 days on a flat wooden deck, called a hoshidana, protected from rain by a rolling roof. The dried grains may be safely stored in controlled temperature and humidity for many months. At this stage, the coffee is widely known as pergamino or parchment, the latter describing the brittle hulls that are removed in a final milling. The resulting jade-green-colored grains, called "green coffee", are now ready for roasting or export. The whole process reduces roughly 3.5 kilos of fresh coffee fruits to 500 gr of roasted coffee.
Aspect and Taste
Kona produces one of the notable coffees of the world that can "stand alone" without blending. Its nice balance of brightness, fragrant aroma, and medium body responds well to finesse on the part of the brewer.
Production Zone
On the Big Island of Hawaii, the Kona Coffee Belt is tiny by world standards. It extends N-S for less than 50 km and is barely 2 km wide, between the elevations of 240-750 m. It lies entirely within the districts of North and South Kona on the western slopes of two volcanoes, Mauna Loa and Hualalai. The soil is high in organic matter, accumulated in the crevices of recent lava flows. The land is steep and rocky and excludes large agricultural machinery. A local summer rainy season with cloudy afternoons and dry "winters" distinguish Kona's seasons from climates elsewhere in Hawaii.
History
Arabica coffee has been cultivated in Kona since 1829. A worldwide coffee boom in the 1890s coincided with the introduction and widespread planting of a variety of arabica, today called "Kona typica". During the 20th century, as the reputation for its quality grew, Kona typica produced the bulk of the Kona coffee crop, as it still does. The 650 Kona coffee farms tend to be small, averaging about 2 hectares. Kona's farmers are as ethnically diverse as the rest of the Hawaii's population. Today, more and more of Kona's farmers are devoted to marketing their own 100% Kona coffee, much of it directly to consumers via the world wide web.
Gastronomy
The delicate aromatic flavor notes of Kona coffee are best realized in a lighter roast. Those who favor pungency in their cup may want to add some darker-roasted beans in a post-roast blend. These remarks are directed at anyone who would appreciate the virtues of 100% Kona coffee.
Marketing
The grades of Kona coffee are officially monitored and depend on: 1) size of the beans and 2) number of defects in a standard-sized sample. The grades, from high to low, are: Kona extra fancy, Kona fancy, Kona number 1, and Kona prime. In Hawaii, "100% Kona" on the label is a reliable guide to origin. Beyond Hawaii, the Kona origin has little legal protection and counterfeit Kona coffee is widespread. The best protection for the consumer or small roaster is to buy directly, in person or via the internet from one or more of the dozens of Kona farmers who grow and process their own coffee.
Distinctive features
One can describe the geographical particulars of the tiny district that produces Kona coffee and the arabica coffee cultivated there, but exactly how they combine to produce such superior coffee remains rather mysterious. Quite clear, however, is the respect for their coffee crop demonstrated by dozens of small farmers in the care given to harvest, handling and processing.